Davis, Thomas L. - d. 2011

DAVIS

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 9/23/2024 at 14:16:07

Thomas L. "Tom" Davis, Professor Emeritus of the University of Iowa School of Music died Saturday, November 12th surrounded by his loving family.
Tom was born in Casper, Wyoming to Orville and Arlie Davis. He attended local schools and graduated from Natrona County High School in 1949. He was active in music throughout his entire high school career. After high school he attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. During his freshman year he enlisted in the United States Navy. After basic training he attended the Armed Forces School of Music in Washington, D. C. He was then sent to Sasebo, Japan for two years where he played in the 7th Fleet Admiral's Band serving in active duty during the Korean Conflict.
He was honorably discharged in 1955 and returned to Northwestern University where he finished his degree in Music Education in 1957, then completed his Master of Music degree in 1958 also at Northwestern. As a member of Dick Schory's Percussion Pops Orchestra he was a recording artist for RCA and toured the country.
He was named to the faculty of the University of Iowa School of Music in the fall of 1958 as Assistant Band Director and was asked to establish one of the first Percussion departments in the nation at the collegiate level. Tom served as Director of the University of Iowa Marching Band from 1967 to 1972 and pioneered the U of I Jazz Studies program. He was a prolific composer and arranger, contributing greatly to the canon of percussion ensemble, and his method books are widely used in collegiate percussion education. Tom retired from the University of Iowa in 1996. He was director of the University of Iowa Alumni Marching Band for 30 years.
Tom was an avid fly fisherman and shared his love and knowledge of the outdoors with his wife and sons. He loved to laugh and was a master at wordplay, especially puns and limericks. He played bridge under duress and could always be counted on for getting terrible cards. Tom was active in the Iowa City Noon Rotary club, Gray Hawks Memoir Writers Group and a passionate fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Tom is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Pat and his sons Terry (Rebecca) and their sons Michael and Max of Port St. Lucie, FL; Tim of Lancaster, NY; Marty of Buffalo, NY; and Dan (Shana) of Seattle, WA.
Visitation will be Friday, November 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Lensing Funeral Service in Iowa City and a celebration of his life will be held Saturday, November 19 at 3:30 p.m. at the Riverside Recital Hall (formerly St. Thomas More Church), 405 N. Riverside Drive, in Iowa City.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully asks that memorials be directed to the Tom Davis Percussion Scholarship through the University of Iowa Foundation.
Online condolences may be directed to www.lensingfuneral.com.
Published in Des Moines (IA) Register; Wednesday, November 16, 2011, page 8B